K is the founder and Chief Inspiration Officer at Native Intelligence, Inc.
A published author, she has spoken at security conferences and events throughout the US. In March 2006, the Federal Information Systems Security Educators' Association (FISSEA) honored K as their Security Educator of the Year.
Her interests include the psychology of security awareness, learning, and storytelling.
K is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Federal IT Security Professional (FITSI-M) with a degree from Johns Hopkins University.
In 2019, she earned a certificate from the University of California, San Diego Extension in Copyediting.
Presentations and courses that K delivers are entertaining and effective because they are story-based. She use examples and analogies to tie new concepts to familiar ones. Her approach to security awareness makes learning memorable and fun, or at least less tedious.
She has given security presentations at the Pentagon, at the for the Computer Security Institute Security Exchange (CSI SX) Conference in Las Vegas, two New York Cyber Security Conferences, two CSI Computer Security Conferences in Washington DC, and various Information Assurance and Security Conferences held by FISSEA, FIAC, and eGOV. She has been a speaker for Security Awareness Day events held by the IRS, NRC, NOAA, DLA, IHS, the Census Bureau, and Customs and Border Patrol. K also facilitated the Computer Security Institute's Security Awareness Peer Group from 2008-2009.
Her most requested presentations include:
K is the primary author of the chapter on security awareness from the Computer Security Handbook, Vols. 4, 5, and 6 (2014).
K is also a named contributor to and participant in the work group that created NIST Special Publication 800-16, Information Technology Security Training Requirements: A Role-and Performance-Based Model.
She is also the author of the chapter on security awareness in the three-volume Handbook of Information Security published in 2009 and 2006.
System Forensics, Investigation, and Response: Released September 24, 2010, co-authored with John R. Vacca: "Part of the new Jones & Bartlett Learning Information Systems Security & Assurance Series! Computer crimes call for forensics specialists, people who know how to find and follow the evidence. System Forensics, Investigation, and Response begins by examining the fundamentals of system forensics, such as what forensics is, the role of computer forensics specialists, computer forensic evidence, and application of forensic analysis skills. It also gives an overview of computer crimes, forensic methods, and laboratories. It then addresses the tools, techniques, and methods used to perform computer forensics and investigation. Finally, it explores emerging technologies as well as future directions of this interesting and cutting-edge field."
Released March 2011, the second edition of Computer Forensics Jumpstart, co-authored with Michael Solomon, Ed Tittel, Neil Broom, and Diane Barrett.
Also, in 2014 K was the Technical Editor for Fundamentals of Communications and Networking. In 2010, K was the Technical Editor for Michael Solomon's book, Security Strategies in Windows Platforms and Applications.
In March 2006, K was honored by the Federal Information Systems Security Educators' Association (FISSEA) as the Security Educator of the Year. Her entries in the annual FISSEA contests for best security awareness motivational item have won in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2017, and 2018.
K led the team that designed winning posters in the FISSEA Contest in 2016 and 2017.
Also, in 2007, Native Intelligence's OnGuard newsletter won the best security awareness newsletter contest. K has also won awards for her photography.
K is interested in just about everything, including contact juggling, laser art, mind mapping, Tai Chi, Qigong, reading, aviation, and photography. K has won awards for her art and photography. Her personal blog, Experimental, contains recent writings and showcases some of her laser projects.
Several hundred thousand people worldwide have taken security awareness courses that K has developed. K's courses have been translated into several languages, including Japanese, German, Italian, and Spanish. K has developed awareness programs and materials that include program plans, surveys and analysis, general and role-based e-learning courses, newsletters, screen savers, posters, contests, security awareness motivational and reward items, and creation of security mascots, logos, and themes.
K's official title, as printed on her Native Intelligence, Inc. business card is: President, Chief Inspiration Officer, Cookie Baker, Lifeguard at Think Tank, Writer, Artist, Grand Pooh Bah Lord-High-Everything-Else, and Head Janitor.
